


Big Dragonling Eyes

by orphan_account



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Baby dragons - Freeform, Dragons, F/M, Funny, Humor, Love, Romance, caring for dragons, quizzy has a dragon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-03-24
Packaged: 2018-09-15 19:46:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9253391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Jumping into dangerous situations head first without thinking is something people akin to Ryuven Lavellan. When she finds out there are dragon eggs under her very feet, she convinces her advisors to allow her to raise one in efforts for the Inquisition. Many look at it as an opportunity to study the dragon, to see if something so large and monstrous could be brought up to be gentle as a mabari. Others disapprove of her even keeping the dragon in the fortress, not bothering to hide it from the Inquisitor. Ryuven takes care of the dragon, watching it grow and secretly hoping, it doesn't eat her for breakfast.





	1. Watching It Hatch

**Author's Note:**

> The dragon care, dragon knowledge and dragon itself is all headcannon. I took a lot of liberties.

“We’re incubating eggs and you never told me?” Ryuven crossed the room to stand at the edge of the war table. Her usually neat hair was frizzy around the tips. “Why?”

 

Cassandra was the first to speak even when her three advisors exchanged looks. “We didn’t want there to be a possibility you would want to raise one and train it for the Inquisition.”

 

Ryuven opened her mouth to protest, but  _ that’s  _ exactly what she wanted to do. Why was that so hard to understand? Her golden brown eyes rested on Cullen who made serious and visible efforts not to look at her. She tangled one of her fingers into her hair, while looking slightly up through her lids at him.

 

“Cullen,” Leliana said as a warning.

 

“Oh, for Maker’s breath.” Cullen stepped around the war table, gripped her arm and dragged her out of the room. Ryuven threw one last grin at the ladies in the room before the door was closed. “Must you do that every time?”

 

She laughed, a clear sound that obviously melted the tension in his shoulders. His grip loosened on her arm and slid around her waist. “It works every time.” She grabbed her hair and pulled it into a loose bun. 

 

“When did we get dragon eggs?”

 

“Do you remember that professor of  Draconology? He wanted to rescue some eggs from the dragon there and observe how they grew. Unfortunately, the University of Orlais wouldn’t allow him to bring them back, so he petitioned with Josie to bring them here. They’ve under Skyhold in one of the unused rooms.”

 

Ryuven purposely went exploring in the many, many forgotten hallways and the bedrooms connected to it. It wasn’t a surprise that she missed it. Skyhold was massive. 

 

They traversed down stairs, getting closer and closer to the only room with heat under the fortress. Four guards marked the room they were using. Ryuven slipped from Cullen’s arms, running to the door. She backed away in surprise.

 

Intense heat came off in waves from the door. Literally waves. The four guards stood as far they could form the door. “How hot does it have to be in there?”

 

“Professor Frederic said we would need to keep it hot every eight hours. It’s supposed to…”

 

“Simulate the mother sitting on the eggs and then going out to get something to eat,” one of the guards said, finishing Cullen’s sentence. 

 

“When are they going to hatch?” Ryuven bounced a little on the balls of her feet. 

“We’d have to ask Frederic.”

 

*

The argument of keeping the dragon almost kept Ryuven and Cullen in separate rooms. Even with the vast size of Skyhold, everyone was affected by their fight. Rumors of a scout walking in on the Inquisitor and Cullen going at it began to circle within her companions.

 

“You are being irresponsible! You cannot and will not keep a dragon! We’ve discussed this!” Cullen paced the length of his office while she sat on the desk.

 

Neither were the look of serene calm. “ _ We  _ haven’t discussed anything. You have discussed it and I refuse to listen. It’s why we’re fighting.” Ryuven tucked her legs up underneath her. The wood bit into her ass.

 

“Ryuven, you’re being stubborn.” He paused to look at her. His hand ran through his hair again and again.

 

“I am because you aren’t listening. You seem to think I’m this delicate flower.”

 

“No… That’s not,” Cullen tried to finish his sentence. He moved to her, placing his hands on either side of the desk. 

 

“Cullen, you’ll always be by my side when you can be. If I let you be apart of this dragon thing, would that make you feel better?” Ryuven put a hand on his cheek.

 

“It would. Immensely.” Cullen went to kiss her, his lips mere inches from her when… he noticed the scout standing in the open door.  

 

Cullen jumped away from her as if nobody knew what they did behind closed doors. His face was a bright red color. Either from embarrassment or anger, Ryuven couldn’t tell. She gripped her legs and grinned. “How long have you been there?” he growled. “What do you want?”

 

“I… I want… Or rather you wanted to know when Ambassador Josephine got a hold of that… Right.” The scout backed away, his own face purple.

 

“Well…” Ryuven couldn’t help but continue to grin. “Maybe next time, we should close the door.”

 

*

 

It was a full two weeks of alternating heat for eight hour shifts before the eggs were getting to hatch. Frederic spent most of his time at Skyhold by then, staying in one of the guest rooms. Ryuven watched the man write mostly in leather bound journals. “Are they ready?”

 

“Just about I suspect. If you would take one up to your room and sit as close to the fire as you can, we can begin the bonding ritual.”

 

Ryuven followed Frederic with barely contained excitement. Even more guards were assigned to the room. Josie, Leliana, Bull and Blackwall all stood at the edge of the line of the guards. Cullen was standing next to the door with his sword out. “Is that necessary?” she asked, eying it. 

 

“It may be.” Cullen gave her a look. It couldn’t possibly read. No. He was concerned. But of course he was. Cullen was always concerned. Concerned how she threw herself into battle. Concerned when she didn’t come back within the estimated time. This was probably the most he’s been concerned. Never once had she ever seen him draw his blade outside of battle and training. 

 

Frederic led the way into the room. Residual heat hung around the room, pressing down on her lungs. A nest of old straw in a basket sat in the middle. The eggs were smaller than she expected, each different colors. “The egg color will give away the color of the dragon,” Frederic said from behind her.

 

Cullen stood directly behind her, his hand on her shoulder, sword ready by his side. “Cullen,” she chastised. “I’ll be fine.” He removed his hand from her shoulder, but never moved away from her. About six eggs leaned against each other. Each one had bright blue veins running over the surface of the egg like a maze. 

 

“So, I’ll just pick one?” Ryuven hesitated. In her excitement, she didn’t think about the consequences that were pointed out to her. She didn’t think of how big the dragon was going to be. Or how much he/she would have to eat. “Okay… I’ll just pick one.” 

 

She moved forward, feeling Cullen moving with her. His sword tip scraped the rock floor for a moment. Two of the eggs were varying shades of dark and lighter greens. One in the back was a dark, blood red. Another bright yellow. The last two were teal. Swirls of blue and teal whirled around one of the other eggs. Her green mark flared as if choosing that was was the right way to go at it.

 

Ryuven picked up the egg. It was more rock like than egg like, though the surface felt very, very thin. She felt movement beneath it. It almost caused her to drop it. “Please,  _ please  _ be careful.” Frederic’s voice gained a pitch higher. He whispered please as he followed the Inquisitor from the bottom floor of the Skyhold fortress to her own room.

 

Cullen wouldn’t allow anyone else in her room. Blackwall and Bull tried to force their way through, reasoning with the commander that he would need more than one sword in there. Ryuven hid a smile from the three men as the argument continued.”It’s a baby dragon. If it gets too...snappy, I’ll take care of it.”

 

Cullen set up a small nest next to her fire. Blankets and pillows were pulled from her bed and laid on the floor to get her as comfortable as possible. He took off his sheath, sitting next to her with his sword within reach. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

 

“Why not?” Ryuven’s voice sounded less sure than it was two weeks ago. “I… I know taking care of dragons is a lot like childcare.”

 

“No, Ryu. It’s not like childcare. This’ll be harder. This’ll be… You’ll be so busy over the next couple of months. You won’t have time for little else. It’s not too late to turn back. It’s not too late to give the dragon to Frederic and let others in the Inquisition to take care of it.”

 

Ryuven held the dragon egg close to her body. The dragon in it moved slightly as if responding to her love. “I can’t. I can’t because I’m attached to it. Cullen, please trust me. Please.”

 

Cullen nodded, though disapproval rang in his eyes. He settled behind her, letting her use him as a leaning post. His sword no long within arm’s reach.

 

*

 

A tearing sound woke the adults up. “Ryu!” The surface of the egg was beginning to crack. Her fire had died down long ago, only a few glowing embers remained. Ryuven shook the sleep from her head. It was happening!

 

The total time it took the dragon to get from its egg was twenty minutes. Little bits of egg fell onto her knees as she hovered over it excitedly. Frederic pounded the idea in her head. The dragonling must see her first. No one else. It must be her, otherwise the bonding wouldn’t happen and they would have to repeat it with another host of eggs.

 

A pointed beak poked through one of the growing holes. She kept her hands on her knees, wanting to help the little one break the egg. The beak was bright teal blue, intricate swirls of darker blue marked it. As the head was being pushed through, she could see the dragonling in whole. 

 

Its small body was nestled in the rest of the egg. Wings were plastered against its body. The head was no larger than the pain of her hand. Small horns twisted on either side. It was the only horns on the head. As it pushed further from the egg, four legs could be counted along with a trail of softer horns down its body.

 

It made a pitiful sound. Opening its mouth to reveal a set of already sharp teeth. Eyes opened. The color was slightly unsettling. Bright yellow eyes settled on her, mouth opening again to make that noise. A shaking hand pat the top of the head. The dragon’s scales were still slightly wet from the inside of the egg. It pushed its head into her hand, making another mewing noise.

 

*

 

Frederic looked at the dragon nestled and fast asleep in Ryuven’s arms. Neither the dragon nor Cullen left her side since the hatching. “It’s a girl.” The elf didn’t bother to ask how he knew. She was far too entranced with the sleeping creature. “Are you going to name her?”

  
“Alindra. Lin for short.” 


	2. Feeding Her

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of the dragon stuff is still very much headcanon.

It was two things that never left Ryuven’s side. Frederic and Alindra. The dragon contented herself to wrapping around Ryu’s neck, weakly growling at anyone who got near. Sharp claws dug into the elf’s shoulder, more often than not, her clothes would be soaked with blood over the course of eight hours.

Frederic stayed by her side at every chance. Ryu could see the jealousy bubbling over the surface of Cullen’s eyes. How he glared at the professor’s back. How his hand twitched towards his sword every time she loving stroked the dragon’s head. But of course how his eyes softened when he sat the blood soaked through her shoulders.

At every break in her schedule, she took little Alindra up to her chambers and hand fed her small pieces of meat alone. Of course, Frederic would stand outside her door, quill and parchment at ready in case she went to him with something extraordinary. 

There were no small amount of nips, bruises, and scratches on her body. Alindra slept next to the fire in a makeshift nest. This was the only time Cullen could find himself with her, hands exploring her exposed back. “Have you thought of getting special pads for this? If it goes on much longer… The healer says you could lose motion in your limbs if you continue like this.”

“I just might.” She groaned softly when Cullen’s rough hands rubbed the salve into the wounds. “I don’t know…” Ryuven looked towards the dragon. Her eyes were tight at the corner, exhaustion her third unseen companion.

Alindra snorted quietly bringing a smile to the elf’s lips. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly, turning to face him. 

“For?” Cullen was far too busy reveling in the fact that he finally had her to himself. No crazy dragon or dragon professor could ruin that moment.

“Not spending enough time with you. Between taking care of her, speaking with Frederic and trying to keep the Inquisition running, I’ve been...running on exhaustion these past few days.”

“Maybe…” He stopped, his hands paused on her back in thought. Ryuven peered toward the dragon, hoping she’d stay asleep longer. “Maybe it’s time to introduce her to others.”

“What do you mean?” What Ryuven guessed he meant was, “Pass her off to other people so I have you for myself.”

“Perhaps we can introduce her to the other people in the Inquisition. Both Blackwall and Iron Bull have been up my ass about finally meeting the dragon.”

Ryuven stayed quiet, her head still turned towards the dragon. Would that be possible? She could go out on missions without worrying about the dragon because there was a whole host of people willing to take care of it. She could… finally be alone for a moment. “Yeah.”

*

Nobody said that would be easy though. In the middle of the main hallway in Skyhold, Ryuven sat in a chair with Alindra in her lap. A few of her companions showed up, curiously staring at her. The dragon had gotten slightly bigger over the past couple of weeks. She could no longer wrap herself around Ryuven’s neck, but rather held onto her back with special pads in place to keep Alindra from puncturing the elf’s delicate skin.

Iron Bull, Varric, Leliana, Blackwall and Solas were the ones who stood at the edge. “Are you sure this is going to work?” Leliana asked,

“No. But I can’t stay in Skyhold my entire life.” Ryuven passed a loving hand over the dragon’s scaly head. Alindra closed her eyes and growled deep in her throat. “Okay. Blackwall, if you could approach with the meat in your hand outstretched...yes, like that.”

Blackwall crouched straight in front of her. Alindra’s yellow eyes were fixed solely on him, little chirps of uncertainty coming from her mouth. Ryu clucked softly at her, saying nonsense words to calm the dragon. He slowly moved forward, the only sound from him was his boots scraping against the stone. 

Alindra glared at him, holding her head up high. Another chirp, this one a warning. Ryuven lifted her hand. Blackwall stopped in mid-step, sweat breaking out on his forehead. The dragon lowered her head, no longer interested in Blackwall. The man continued slower than before, his outstretched hand starting to shake. Soon he was an arm’s length from Ryuven.

“Slowly,” Ryuvan said. Blackwall eased himself closer to her until he right on top of her. Alindra looked at him, up at Ryuven, then back to him. The dragon seemed to know what was going on. She outstretched her neck and nimbly pecked the food off of Blackwall’s hand. 

His shaking finger pet the top of her head. But that’s as far as he could get. 

So that became a tradition. More and more people joined them, onlookers from the side. It was a silent affair, most people worried she would take a finger.

Alone, in her quarters, Alindra was slowly warming up to Cullen. When he came to visit at night’s end, the dragon no longer huffed in her basket, yellow eyes slowly turning green with envy. She wasn’t on top of him, but she could bear being close to him without being in his lap. 

“Cullen,” Ryuven said one night with Alindra curled up against her stomach and Cullen pressed against her back, “thank you.”


End file.
